Michele-lee Phelan ([info]artoftheempath) wrote,
@ 2008-03-26 22:20:00
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Dreams of Gaia Tarot




As the amendments have been made, and I have signed the contract and have it here sitting upon my desk ready to mail tomorrow, I would like to announce that from July/August of this year, I will cease taking all but a few individual commissions for a period of twelve to eighteen months. During that time, I will be working on both the artwork and the manuscript for my 'Dreams of Gaia Tarot'.

The deck will be a blending of faith, magick, and beauty, and one I hope to develope into a powerful tool of self-discovery for others. It delves into the domains of emotion, thought, choices, self-awareness, creativity and more, and will enable the reader to connect with their 'self' and in doing so better connect with the world around them and the souls they share that world with.

The deck follows a non-traditional format and consists of 72 cards, broken up into three arcana - The Trinity, The Celestial, and the Fae.

The Trinity - 3 cards representing earth, moon, and sun/stars - the divine 'creation' energies of the Cosmos. These are 'global' awareness cards, and ask the reader to focus their attention outwards to the world around them.

The Celestial - 21 cards representing the divine avatars who act as guides. They are a conduit between the cosmos and the 'self'.

The Fae - 48 cards representing the fae and elemental energies, emotions, and their influence upon the 'self'.

The 'Dreams of Gaia' deck is a divination tool with a world philosopy of earth and cosmic awareness, self-growth, and the importance of connecting with the thread of magick that weaves through all that is seen and unseen.

Thanks to my wonderful publishers, Blue Angel Galleries, the artwork which initially would be sourced from preexisting and future artworks will now be created specifically for the deck and will become my soul focus in the latter half of this year. Several cards will be painted and have their meanings written for them each month and once all are completed the deck will go into production.

A project that initially was going to take up to five years to complete, should now be finished and available for purchase by no later than the end of 2009.

I will of course, be finishing the artwork for the Greek Mythology deck first. These works will take me until the beginning to middle of May. Once they are completed, I will spend several weeks to put Dreams of Magick together. It's going to be a mad few months, because after the book is finished, I need to do a handful of personal commissions. Then I am free of all other commitments and will focus fully upon Dreams of Gaia and the promotion of the Greek deck and my book.

I hope you will all join in and share this creative journey with me.


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[info]moonvoice
2008-03-26 11:58 am UTC (link)
CONGRATULATIONS!
You totally deserve it, and your art is just spectacularly suited to such a deck, plus that it will be coming with a book as well is just amazing. :D

I have bookmarked that site as one of the potentials to target about my Animal deck... I still don't think it will ever get published though.

I would be honoured to share this journey with you! Wow, I am so happy for you! I know that it's so difficult to make it as an artist, even with full-time artwork and network, and I think this is a windfall that you have completely earnt; you should be proud of yourself. :D :D :D

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:00 pm UTC (link)
Thank you, love :) First and foremost, Toni from Blue Angel is one of the most sincere and kindest people I have met in a long time. He has a genuine delight in what he does, and it really does show in the products he creates and the projects he takes on. So, don't ever be afraid to approach him. I'm not saying that he will say yes, but he -will- be honest in whether he's interested or not. I cannot help but feel that he would be very interested in product that's nigh on close to completion, my only concern would be that it is similar in nature to Scott Alexander King's 'Animal Dreaming' deck. Is it a tarot deck or an oracle deck? I do know that Toni is more interested at present in tarot. Mine is going to be Blue Angel's first one. *laughs* How's that for pressure?

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[info]moonvoice
2008-03-26 11:33 pm UTC (link)
Ah mine is an oracle deck, and I looked at the site this morning and saw King's deck so it might not be viable but... oh well!

I think yours will be an awesome pioneering tarot deck for the site. :D

I've always thought about doing a bird tarot, but at this point I don't know whether I'm good enough just yet. So... it waits.

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 11:41 pm UTC (link)
And I never thought I'd be good enough to do a tarot deck, of that I could have the dedication and commitment to do a children's book or an oracle deck. I've finished the children't book, I'm almost finished the oracle deck, and now I have the tarot deck in my future. I have the same doubts as you, but doubts should not be heeded.

I guess what I am saying is that you should not let your doubts dictate your life or creativity, love. I look at your artwork and it is strikingly different and so very in tune with what it represents. I think you would be foolish not to listen to that voice that's telling you to do it instead of the one that's telling you that your not good enough yet. ;)

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[info]moonvoice
2008-03-27 12:19 am UTC (link)
Thank you. I might start thinking about it again then. *smiles*

I can't believe you're getting close to finishing the oracle deck! That is so so awesome. :D

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-27 12:20 am UTC (link)
*laughs* You will note my bouncing once I get down to the last ten ;) The countdown will have begun.

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[info]minoukatze
2008-03-26 01:11 pm UTC (link)
That's wonderful! Congratulations!!! I can't wait until I can buy a pack:)

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:00 pm UTC (link)
Thank you :) *still grinning like a cheshire*

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[info]celticelff
2008-03-26 01:51 pm UTC (link)
*glees!*

late 2009, you say?
*makes mental note to squirrel away money so she can be one of the first to buy a set*

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:01 pm UTC (link)
*smiles and snugs* Yes, late 2009/early 2010. :)

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[info]giovanna_adams
2008-03-26 02:53 pm UTC (link)
Congrats! I am sure it is going to be a beautiful and inspirational deck. Can wait to watch it develop.

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:01 pm UTC (link)
Thankee, lovely lady :) (((((hugs))))))

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[info]rendergirl
2008-03-26 02:57 pm UTC (link)
Congratulations, I'm so happy for you!! :)

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:01 pm UTC (link)
*smiles and hugs* Thank you :)

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[info]astein142
2008-03-26 03:35 pm UTC (link)
That is fabulous news! Congratulations and best wishes.

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:02 pm UTC (link)
*beaming* Thank you :)

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[info]thrivis
2008-03-26 06:03 pm UTC (link)
OMG.

CONGRATULATIONS~! :D That is awesome beyond words!

I've been wanting to explore a new tarot deck for a looong time now. I know what the next one is going to be. :D

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:02 pm UTC (link)
*grinning hugely* I hope I can create something that will not disappoint such faith :)

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[info]polarbear1986
2008-03-26 07:42 pm UTC (link)
Congrats! I know you've wanted this for a long while. I have a question, though. Are the works you did in the past that you said were going to be part of a deck in the future going to be a part of this one? I can't honestly remember what they looked like anymore, but I remember that I absolutely loved them!

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:09 pm UTC (link)
Hmmm! I am unsure of whether you are talking about The Lady and The Trickster or the ones that already appear on the DOG Tarot page on my website.

The artwork on the Gaia card is not going to change, while the one for the Oracle card is actually going to used for Luna. Ladies of the Air, Fire, and Water will also remain, as will Music of the Dawn and Silent Change, although I will most likely rename both of those cards as time moves forward. All of those cards will remain the same, the others will be redone to create something more suited.

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[info]polarbear1986
2008-03-27 03:15 am UTC (link)
The Lady and The Trickster were the ones I had in mind. Ever since the first time I saw The Lady, I absolutely loved it!

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-27 05:51 am UTC (link)
Well all I can say for now is that the celestial cards will be quite similar in nature, but different also. :)

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[info]pixiewildflower
2008-03-26 09:54 pm UTC (link)
Congrats to you dearest!

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 10:10 pm UTC (link)
(((((hugs tight))))) Thank you :) :)

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[info]kirstinmills
2008-03-26 11:04 pm UTC (link)
Yay! That's so exciting! Congratulations! :D

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 11:06 pm UTC (link)
Thankee, lovely :) *cheeky grin* got that coding finished yet ? ;)

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[info]kirstinmills
2008-03-26 11:09 pm UTC (link)
hahaha I can't help but feel I would be so much more motivated if I had such exciting news as yours! :D

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 11:10 pm UTC (link)
You know what? New product is just as exciting. Take it from one who never seems to have the time to develope new product. I think I'm destined to only sell prints and bookmarks because I'm forever chained to the easel.

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[info]kirstinmills
2008-03-26 11:17 pm UTC (link)
haha Oh but to have more time to paint! I'm quite envious of your art output! :) And they get better each one! I guess it is for all of us to be happy in the choices we've made and where we are in each moment :) Congratulations again, I really am so happy for you.

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[info]susanrodio
2008-03-26 11:12 pm UTC (link)
Congratulations!
I love the sound of this deck, the Trinity arcana sounds amazing, Sun, Moon and stars wow, very exciting stuff! Well done!!

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-26 11:14 pm UTC (link)
*smiles* Thank you, Susan. I'm so looking forward to commencing work on it :)

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[info]wendyflint
2008-03-27 05:14 am UTC (link)
How unspeakably wonderful...I just thought of some more friends here who will want it as well *glees madly*

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[info]artoftheempath
2008-03-27 05:52 am UTC (link)
*grins and hugs* You are a treasure :)

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[info]shellstar_art
2008-03-27 06:25 am UTC (link)
*grins like crazy*

awesome news Mich, canna wait to get my hands on the finished product... methinks there will be a definite zing factor and much clickling!

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